Hatch tent



Aug. 12, 1941. M. L. MCHUGH HATCH TENT Filed April 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l u w\ f/k il ll W) I N V EN TOR. Hannon, L. ULHzgh ,7,

l ATTORNEY;

Aug. 12, 1941. M. l.. MCHUGH HATCH TENT Filed April 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 12, 1941 HATCH TENT Marion L. McHugh, Kent, Wash., assigner to Seattle Tent & Awning Co., Seattle, Wash., Ya corporation of Washington Application April 2, 1940, Serial No. 327,538

18 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the end-block for a hatch tent of the character illustrated and described in my pending application for Letters Patent of the United States led August 10, 1936, Ser.,No 95,112, which character of tent, more especially, is one having a ridge slot accommodating the travel of the fall-line in the load-handling movement of the same, the slot having a cable extending as a liner along its side margins and at the rear terminus of the slot being clamped to the end-block.

As its principal object the present invention aims to perfect the end-block, particularly in the manner of attaching the cable thereto, such as to preclude a. crimping of the cable as the same is flexed laterally under the pressure influence of the fall line.

It is a further and a particular object to provide an end-block which, through its advanced design and an elimination of abrupt bends in the flexed cable, minimizes wear on the fall line.

It is a still further and a particular object, considering the blocks added function of a coupling to connect a suspension line to the cable and also to the reinforcing ropes of the tent, to provide certain advancements serving to augment the coupling function by accommodating the attachment of guy ropes for localizing the tent in relation to the hatch,

Other objects and advantages, with the foregoing, will appear in the course of the following description and claims.

The invention consists in the novel construction and in the adaptation and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the drawings and which is hereinafter described and claimed.

In said drawings:

`Figure 1 is atop plan view of an end-block constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrating, fragmentarily, in the manner of their attachment to the block, the slotreinforcing cable, the multiple ropes which reinforce the tent, and the guy and stay lines which extend laterally and rearwardly 'from the block.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sec-tion on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the block with the several rigging ropes applied, excepting only the guy lines which are deleted for clarity in illus@ tration. Comparing this view with Fig. 1 it will be noted thatthe suspension line, likewise for clarity in illustration, is deleted from the latter view. l

' Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged transverse vertical sections taken, respectively, on lines 4--4 and s-s of Fie. 1.

Considering the tent proper (not illustrated), it may be here stated that the same is or may be comprised of a triangular back wall and tetragonal inclined side walls which, at the top or apex of the tent, are spaced apart to produce ay longitudinally extending ridge slot. A cable lines the marginal edges of the slot and is seized at spaced intervals of its length by clamps to connect the same with, the tent walls. In the preferred application, these wear strips for the slot are provided by a single length of cable which at its mid-length is turned about and clamped to the end-block. In the drawings my improved end-block is indicated generally by the numeral I0, and the cable by 6. As general practice in rigging the tent a suspension line, indicated by .1, and a plurality of tent ropes, as 8 and 9, connect with the end-block, the tent ropes lying interiorly of the tent walls and leading from the block to the lower rear and to the lower front corners of the tent. While of no moment to the `present improvements and therefore not illustrated, the forward ends of the cable terminate `at or proximate to the forward limits of the tent whereat the same connect with clews or the like, the clews being suspended from a boom arm of the vessel and additionally connecting with tent ropes which are carried along the forward edge of each side wall to the lower front corners.

The end-block l0, as with the block illustrated and described in my prior application, is of U- shaped plan coniiguration to form a throat describing a continuation of the ridge slot, and fitting in the closed end of this throat is a sheave Il functioning to prevent chang of the fall line (not shown) as the latter is carried to the rear-end limits of the block. At the forward or admission Vend of the throat, my present block is characterized by lead-in shoes |2--l 3 hingedly connecting, as at I4, with the block proper and having a curvilinear divergency, one shoe as respects the other, sufcient to carry the free ends laterally beyond the normal planes occupied by the cable. These curving free ends ofthe shoes @are furCate, producing cable seats which conmovement through the instrumentality of saddling the same for slippage with bolt-clips I6, one of these clips being applied over the cable in proximity of the root end of a shoe and being complemented, on the shoe itself, by one or more clips. The cable clamps, which is to say the caps I5, are employed in pairs and joined by an integral strap ll acting as a -bridle to receive a shacklel', these shackles, one at each side of the bloclconnecting with guy 'ropes I9 'which extend laterally and are secured to deck cleats for holding the block against side movement Further characterizing my block and projected rearwardly therefrom above the bight of the cable is an integral extensionV 20 tted with: shackles Ill-22. The former yof `these shackles connects with the eye of the suspension line 1,' which said line carries through a boom-carried pulley block and thence to a deck cleat, and the other shackle 22 functions to engage a back stay 23 acting complementary to the guy ropes I9 in that it holds the block against forwardV movement. Also formed at the rear end of the block as an integral part of the same, but lying below the cable-receiving groove, are laterally spaced ears Z-25 through which is passed a transverse bolt .21, this bolt acting to engagethe terminal loops of thetent-reinforcing ropes 8 and 9.

It is believed that the described end-block will be clearly understood withoutfurther reference to its employment on a hatch tent, particularly so considering that theV handling of cargo through the ridge slot of a tent of the character described is now common practice.

I intend, in the interpretation of the language used, that the hereto annexed claims be given a scope commensurate with the degree to which my improvements are a functional advance in` the art.

What I claim, is: Y

1.` In an end-block for the ridge slot of a hatch cover of the described character in which the slot is bordered by cable acting as guard strips accommodating movement of a cargo line: a block body of U-shaped plan configuration forming a slot operating as a prolongationof the ridge slot and having, at the admission end thereof, hinged lead-in shoes; means for attaching the terminii of the guard strips to the block body; `and means complementary to said attachment means and carried by the lead-in shoes functioning as fairleader guides for the strips to permit thestrips to slip in relation to the lead-in shoes as the latter are swungoutwardly by the pressure influence of the cargo line. l

2. In an end-block Vfor the ridge slot of -a hatch cover of the described character in which the slot is bordered by cable acting as flexible guards for a cargo line: a block body of U-shaped plan cnguration forming a slot operating` as a prol longation of the ridge slot and having, at the admission end thereof, hinged lead-in shoes; and cable-saddling clips provided vby the lead-in shoes and functioning as fair-leader guides for the cable to permit the cable toslip in relationto the lead-in shoes as ,the latter are swung outwardly by pressure influence Yofthe cargo line.

hguration forming a .slot operatingnas va -pro-:

longation of the ridge slot and having, at the admission end thereof, hinged lead-in shoes; means for clamping the cable to the block body; and means complementary to said clamping means and carried by the lead-in shoes to function as fair-leader guides for the cable permitting the cable to slip in relation to the lead-in shoes as the latter are swung outwardly by pressure influence of the cargo line.

5. In an end-block for the ridge slot of a hatch Cover of the described character in which the slot is bordered by cable acting as flexible guards for a cargo line: a block body; a pair of lead-in shoes hingedly supported by the block body in laterally spaced relation and producing a throat between the same operating as a prolongation of the ridge slot; means for attaching the terminii of the v cable to the block body; and means complementary to said attachment means and carried by the lead-in shoes to function as fair-leader guides for the cable permitting the cable to slip in relation to the lead-in shoes as the latter are swung outwardly by pressure influence of the cargo line.

6 An end-block for the ridge slot of a hatch cover of the described character comprising a member of U-shaped plan configuration 4provided, at the admission end of the U-slot, with hinged lead-in shoes having a curvilinear divergency, one shoe as respects the other.

7. An end-block for the ridge slot of a hatch cover of the described character comprising a body part; a sheave supported by the body part in position to prevent chang of a cargo line as the latter in its working travel longitudinally of the slot is carried to the end limits of the slot; and a pair of lead-in shoes hingedly carried in laterally spaced relation by the block body to produce a throat between the shoes operating as a prolongation of the ridge slot.

8. An end-block for the ridge slot of a hatch cover of the described character, said block having a U-shaped plan configuration and being characterized in that the legs of the U are hingedly mounted to permit the same to swing outwardly by pressure influence of a cargo line working in the slot.

9. An end-block for use in rigging a hatch cover of the described character in which the upper edges of the side walls are spaced apart and lined with cable to define a marginallyguarded ridge slot for the operation therein of a cargo line, the walls of the cover being reinforced by a plurality of tent ropes and being supported in operating position over a hatch by a suspension line: said block comprising a member of U-shaped plane configuration grooved along the sides to provide seats forV the cable and, at the closed end of the U above and below the plane of the cable, being, provided with means by which to attach the suspension line and the tent ropes to the block; and a pair of spacedapart cable-clamping caps formed as a unit with a connecting strap therebetween and applied over the cable at each side of the block, said connectng strap acting as a bridle to accommodate the attachment of guy lines for holding the cover in centered position relative to thehatch.4

10. An end-block according to claim 9, said means for attaching the suspension line to the block comprising an upward extension tted with a shackle; and an independent shackle also carried by said extension and located to the ,rear of said first-named shackle, said lastnamed shackle acting to engage a back stay.

11.VAn end-block for use in rigging a hatch cover of the described character in which the upper edges of the side Walls are spaced apart and lined with wear-strips to dei-lne a marginally guarded ridge slot for the operation therein of a cargo line, the walls of the cover being reinforced by a plurality of tent ropes and being supported in operating position over a hatch by a suspension line: said block comprising a member tted at each side with a pair of longitudinallyv spaced clamps for securing the wear-strips to the block and, above and below the plane occupied by the clamped strips, providing means for attaching the suspension line and the tent ropes to the block, said paired clamps having a connecting strap therebetween acting as a bridle to accommodate the attachment of guy lines for holding the block in centered position relative to the hatch.

12. An end-block according to claim 11, said means for attaching the suspension line to the block comprising a shackle; and `an independent shackle also carried by the block to the rear of said first-named shackle functioning as a coupling for attaching a back stay to the block.

13. An end-block for use in rigging a hatch cover of the described character in which the upper edges of the side walls are spaced apart and lined with wear-strips to define a marginally guarded ridge slot for the operation therein of a cargo line, the walls of the cover being reinforced by a plurality of ten ropes and being supported in operating position over a hatch by a suspension line: said block providing fittings for the attachment of the wear-strips, the tent ropes, and the suspension line, and having bridles at each side accommodating the attachment of guy lines for holding the block in centered position relative to the hatch.

14. An end-block for use in rigging a hatch cover of the described character in which the upper edges of the side walls are spaced apart and lined with wear-strips to define a marginally guarded ridge slot for the operation therein of a cargo line, the walls of the cover being reinforced by a plurality of tent ropes and being supported in operating position over a hatch by a suspension line: said block being. fitted with means for connecting the wear-strips and the tent ropes to the same, being provided with a shackle for the attachment of the suspension line, and having a shackle independent of the first-named shackle and lying to the rear thereof for the attachment of a back stay tothe block.

15. An end-block for the ridge slot of a hatch cover of the described character in which the slot is bordered by cable acting as flexible guards for a cargo line, the cable being turned upon itself and having the produced bight applied about the end-block, said block being characterized in that the same is provided along the sides with cable-saddling means which by the act of bearing loosely against the applied cable restrains the latter while permitting slippage as between said saddling means and the cable.

16. An end-block for the ridge slot of a hatch cover of the described character in which the slot is bordered by cable acting as flexible guards for a cargo line, said block being provided along the sides with fittings functioning as fair-leader guides for the guard cable.

17. In the attachment of guarding cable to the end-block of a ridge-slotted hatch tent of the described character, a pair of spaced-apart cable-clamping caps formed as a unit with a connecting strap therebetween and applied over the cable at each side of the block, the connecting strap acting as a bridle to accommodate the attachment of guy lines for holding the cover in centered position relative to the hatch.

18. In the attachment of guarding cable to the end-block of a ridgeslotted hatch cover of the described character, a pair of spaced-apart cable-clamping caps formed as a unit with a connecting strap therebetween, the strip acting as a bridle to accommodate the attachment of a supporting line to the end-block.

MARION L. MCHUGH. 

